Improvement in knitting-machines



UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY V. HARTZ AND JULIUS FEISS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTINGMACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 99,670, dated February 8, 1870.

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that we, HENRY V. HARTZ and JULIUS FEIss, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Knitting-Machine; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makinga part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an end view, a portion having been broken away to show the construction more clearly. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section inline .fr a of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section showing the cam that operates the needles. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the take-off apparatus. Fig. 6 is a side view of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, and represents the takeoff hook at the moment of operating upon the two needles. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the registering apparatus or indicator. Fig. 8 is a rear view of the dial standard seen in Fig. l7, showing the construction and arrangement ofthe ratchets, springs, pawls, arms, Sto., constituting the operative parts of the indicator. Fig. 9 is a detached view of ring R.

The object of this .invention is to simplify and improve the operation of the knitting-machine, making it more convenient and easy to control, while it operates more rapidly, accurately, and effectually, and with less breakage of the yarn, and makes better work.

The main parts ofthe machine are two stationary circular needleplates, A B, having a row of needles, a a', extending about onethird of the distance around them; two revolving camrings, C D, that operate the two rows of needles. said rings rotating in opposite directions, by means 'of bevel-gear wheel b b1 b2, and a crank, b3,- a vibrating thread-guide, G, which moves back and forth along the points of the needles as the cam-rings revolve; two sliding rings, R R, by turning which the needles can, one after another, be thrown out of or into action, or, in Vother words, out of or into connection with the cam-rin gs two Inovable take-offs, T T1, which can be set at different points along the rows of needles, to change the thread from one set of needles to the other, when someof the needles are dropped or taken up for the purpose of narrowing or widening;77 an adjusting-ring, E, and wormscrew Ef, by which the take-offs can be set at any desired point g and an indicating apparatus, (represen ted in Figs. 7 and 8,) for the purpose of registering and indicating the number of times the machine has knitted across the work.

In connection with these main features are several minor improvements, relating to the adjusting of the-i. cams, needles, guides, takeoffs, and other working parts of the apparatus, all which we will now proceed more particula-rly to describe.

The two tapering' plates A B being arranged l as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the needles a a, respectively, lying in beds or grooves in their outer sides, said needles will be operated by a cam, c, in the inner side of the rings C D, as will be fully understood by reference to Fig. 4, and from a comparison of said figure with the position of the cam-rings and needles, as shown in Fig. 2.

The cams are so arranged upon the two oppositel y -revolving camrings as to operate the needles of each row at the proper moment to prod-nce the stitch.

R is a ring working in a groove on the outside of the needle-plates, as seen in Figs. 2, 3, and having a slot., R1, into which the needles will be forced as the ring is turned, and which will lift them out of the way of the needle operating cam one after the other, the partl shown at R2 being simply to indicate, bya snap, when the ring has been moved to the proper distance, and rhejoints RSRS being for convenience in putting on the rings or taking them off. i

F is the frame ofthe machine, to which the needle-plates are firmly xed, as shown atff.

To a lug on the under side of this frame the long` arm of the bent guide G is pivoted, as seen at g.

Just above the pivot is a pin, g1, projecting from the guide into the slot It of a plate, H, so

that, as the latter pla-te is slid back and forth in its guides It h, it throws the guide G first to the right, then to the left, carrying its upper end along back and forth over the needles.

The slide H is caused to reciprocate properly by the rotation of the rear bevel-wheel b1, an eccentric pin, g2, arranged on a bar, g3, that spans the open portion ofthe wheel, playing in the slot h, so as to move the plate or slide in the proper manner.

The slot h is slightly cut away near the middle on each side, as seen in Fig. 7, so that while the eccentric pin g2 is moving through that part cut away, it will not operate the slide H, but the latter will have two dead-points at each revolution of wheel bl, during which the guide G will be at rest at eitherend of the row of needles. At other times the g'uide will keep along with the cams ce; in fact, it will always move with each cam, as the two cams are moving the needles on one side or the other.

At the lower end of the back part of guide G, below the pivot g, it is pivoted to a rod, K, and vibrates said rod. Said rod in turn moves a lever, K', that runs up to the indicating apparatus, 'and at every thrust starts a wheel, L, one notch.

The wheel is connected with a pointer, P, on the opposite side of the dial-plate, which, at every second movement of the wheel, passes over one degree-mark on the dial up to the number 10.

The shaft of the wheel also has a crank, k, attached to it, and at every revolution itthrnsts forward a pitman or lever, 7c', and draws it back. The pitman or lever thus moved actuates a second ratchet-wheel, L', and moves a second pointer, P', that thus indicates one degree on another dial for every ten on the lower dial indicated by pointer P.

The apparatus can be multiplied to any desired extent for the purpose ot' noting the tens, hundreds, thousands, Ste., of rows of stitches made by the machine.

Q is the rod on which the yarn is wound, or on which the bobbins are supported. q q q are yarn-guides on the large guide G 5 and q is a tension-spring. v y

The general construction ofthe take-offs will be very clearly understood by reference to Figs. l, 2, 3, and 5. Their frame consists in a V- shaped plate, T T1, attached to the ring E, so as t0 be adjustable in position along the line of needles, and further supported by an arm,

T2, inside of the hollow needle-plates, and pivoted to a journal or pin, T3, supported by lugs cast to one of the needle-plates, or by a bar extending across the opening in the end of said needle-plate. The parts T T1 are, therefore, guided in an are concentric with the edge ofthe needle-plates, and, by turning the worm-screw E, may be set in any position at pleasure.

When the thread runs along with the guide G on one side, during the operation of one camring on the needles, and comes to the end of the row, it is necessary that it should 4be changed over to the other needles, in order 'that it may return, with the guide and the other cam-ring, to the place whence it started.

The apparatus connected with the Vshaped plates T T1 is the means by which this transfer is effected. This apparatus consists of the following parts, viz., a sliding hook, t, which is Vpushed down at the proper time by hand,

by means of the thumhpiece t1, and which is divided or slotted to allow a lifting-blade to run down under its barb and lift the thread up over the same; the lifting-blade u, which at the proper moment is moved in one direction by a lever, ul, operated by a cam, u2, on wheel bl, and at other times is kept drawn up out of the way by the action of a spring on the rear side of the part T or T l, any arrangement of spring that will answer being used for the purpose; a lever, t2, which at the proper m0- ment is struck and moved by a projection on the front side of cam u2, above the vrim of wheel b1, in order to throw up the hook t, and let the thread drop 5 a spring, s, which keeps the baseplate of the thread-lifter u down dat against the face of the V-shaped plate T or T1; and

another hat spring, s', which holds a stop, r,

in under said base-plate, so that one corner ot' it will come in the wayof a shoulder on the shank of hook t, and prevent the latter from being thrown up only at the proper moment, when the cam operates the lever t2.

The shoulder or offset on the side ofthe hook may be seen at e, Fig. 5.

By means of the apparatus here described,

the thread is taken up on the hook t, and held until that needle which had held it withdraws, which is done simultaneously with the first one of the opposite row of' needles presenting itself'. At this instant the cam operates lever t2, drawing up the hook rapidly, when the blade u runs under the thread, lifts it,'and allows the other needle to take it. The thread then changes its motion, passing back on the row of needles.

opposite to that on which it came to the take- Offj) In Fig. l is seen the device for adjusting the cam o, so as to throw `the needles higher or lower, and make a tight or loose stitch.

A lug, c, from the cam, projects through the rim of wheel b,- and is provided with an oblique groove or slot, c2. Into this slot projects a spur,

o, from a longitudinally-sliding plate, O. O is a lever, by which to move plate O.

P lateO and cam c being held in fixed guides, so that they can slide only'in a certain direction, (the cam up and down, and the plate lengthwise,) it follows that, by adjusting the position of the plate, the cam may be raised or lowered at pleasure, to make any kind of stitch required.

The cam not only operates to lift the needles at the proper point, but beneath it isv a groove or track, fm, which they can follow when dropped, their spur or arm running altogether under the cam, so as to escape its action. This will be fully understood from Figs. 3 and 4.

M is a stop or deector, which may be made to extend across the track m, and cause the needles to rise out of said track, when desired.

In this machine no sinkers are required, the

edges of the needle plates being cut or recessed on their under side, as shown at n, Fig. 3, so

lthe edge of the Work, and holds it in position,

without any assistance from Weights,'springs, or other appliances.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a knitting-machine, the combination or' the two cam-rings C D, moving in opposite direction, with the gear-Wheels b b1 b2, for operating them, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The rings R R, constructed substantially as shown and described, when applied to a knittingmachne for the purpose of raising the needles out of their grooves in narrowing the fabric.

' 3. The V-shaped take-oit" plates T T1, connected to a central axle by the arm T2, and adjustable by means of the ring E and Wormscrew E', when constructed and operating substantially as described, and for the purpose of supporting and adjusting the take-off devices.

4. Thel takeoi'apparatus, (supported by said plates T T1,) consisting, essentially, of the parts t tl t2 u u1 o s s e, all constructed and operating in connection with the cam u2 and needles a a, substantially as set forth, and for thc purpose of taking up the yarn after it has been delivered to the last needle of one row, and delivering it to the first needle of the op posite row.

5. The combination of split hook t and sliding thread-lifter u, when constructed and operating as specified, and for the purpose of seizing and holding the yarn at the end of' one traverse of the yarn-guide, and then dropping it as the first needle in the opposite row is presented.

6. In combination With cam-rings C D, re volving in opposite directions, and With the needleplates A B, having needles arranged only on one side, a thread-guide, G, reciprocating back and forth o-ver the needles, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth. 5 7. The combination of the crank-pin g2, on the needle-cylinder, With the sliding yoke H', constructed as described, and fitted in bear ings h h', and with the yarn-guide G, frictionboivl g1, rod K, and pin g, substantially as described, for the purpose ot' operating the said yarn-guide and the indicator at the saine time.

8. The combination otl the Working parts of the indicator, substantially as described and represented, said workin g parts consisting essentially ofthe rod Kl, wheel L, crank 7c, lever or pitinan k', Wheel L', and the usual pawls and springs to hold them against the ratchets, all constructed, arranged, and operating as and for the purposes set forth.

HENRY V. HARTZ. J ULIUS FEISS.

Witnesses GEO. ARNOLD, M. MAYER. 

